All the way

He stopped quite a way from Hermione. She was staring at the table. Then she looked up and straight at him.

Severus watched as the Hermione in his memories stood up slowly. This was one of his favourite memories, because it was the first time they had shown real affection for each other.

As Hermione ran towards his past self and leaped into his arms, Severus\' heart squeezed painfully and he looked away.

It was disorientating as the memory changed and Severus found himself in Hermione flat. In the semi darkness, he could see the form of two figures on the sofa.

Hermione was putting her wand on the table and he remembered feeling her moving about on his chest. His double pulled her back down.

\"More sleep...\" He muttered.

As each memory passed, he could feel his heart curling and twisting, until finally it caved in on its self. Distraught, he watched Christmas day play out in front of him like a muggle film.

At last, as Hermione told him she was pregnant, Severus couldn\'t take it any more and he threw himself out of the pensieve.

He sat on the edge of the bed, with his head in his hands. He knew it would be a bad idea to go in there, but he had done it anyway. The only thing that seeing his memories had achieved was bringing the whole ordeal to life.

Sighing, Severus rested his hands on his knees and was about to get up, when something on the bedside table caught his eyes. He turned his head slightly to stare at his wedding photo.

Hermione, in all her glory, was waving and smiling. She looked up at her husband to see him rolling his eyes good naturedly. Rolling her own eyes, Hermione leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. The man in the photo couldn\'t help but grin.

For the first time, a tear squeezed from Severus\' eye and dripped onto his hand; he would never be that man again.

Thankful for a distraction, Severus, frowning, looked down to his hand. His wedding ring was burning and glowing slightly red. The shed tear rolled down the shining gold and evaporated quickly. As soon as it had started, the burning and glowing stopped.

Suddenly angry at everything and every one, Severus grabbed the pensieve and threw it at the wall, putting his whole body weight behind it.

The bowl shattered and the memories automatically returned to his head. Another peace of his soul fell from his eye and again, it landed on the ring. And again it burned. And again it glowed. But this time it didn\'t stop.

As the burning got hotter, Severus grew more frustrated.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Finally, Hermione had been aloud to have her wrists unbound. Draco stood in front of her and cast the spell to free her hands. Obviously too lazy to walk over to the leather chair, he used his wand to summon it, so that it knocked his knees out from under him and he flopped down into it.

Hermione clapped, \"Aww look,\" She cooed with a sickly sweet smile, \"the ferret can do tricks!\"

\"Oh Merlin, I\'m shitting myself with laughter.\" Draco retorted.

Suddenly, Hermione cried out and clutched her hand. Her finger had burned slightly a minute ago, but not like this. As she looked down, she realized that it wasn\'t her finger, but her wedding ring. And it was glowing.

What was going on?

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Severus squeezed his eyes shut; the burn was unbearable. He had tried pulling it off, but it wouldn\'t budge. Leaning over, he grasped his wand and gasped a hex.

The burning and glowing stopped, but instead of exploding -like it should have- the ring seemed to be smoking. The silvery mist formed what looked like a wall, but then the mist started to swirl and a face emerged.

\"Hermione!\" he gasped. The mist was a screen and it showed Hermione sitting on a sofa. She was wearing the same clothes that she had when she had \'gone shopping\' and was holding her hand. Her ring was glowing as well.

Did this mean...? But she couldn\'t be... alive...?

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Lucius finished telling Annie about the letter. She was staring at him wide eyed. Finally, her brain processed the information.

The red head threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. Lucius held her as well.

\"What should we do?\" She asked into his shoulder.

\"Well, tell some one, duh!\"

\"Yeah, but I mean who?\" Annie stepped back, \"Professor Snape would want to know first, don\'t you think?\"

\"Yeah, come on!\" He grabbed her hand and they hurried back into the dungeons.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Severus watched, trying to work out where his wife was. He didn\'t know if she was alive, but if he could find out where she was and go there, he could check. He tried not to get his hopes up, but they wouldn\'t stay down.

There was no sound, but he could see her mouth moving, and by the look on her face, she was being very sarcastic. To Severus\' dismay and jealousy, a pale hand curled around her chin and all he saw was a flash of white, before Hermione was spluttering and wiping her mouth. To Severus\' pride, Hermione spat on who ever it was that kissed her. Finally, to Severus\' intense anger, Hermiones head snapped to the side as a large hand swung down and made contact with her cheek.

One word reverberated around the room.

\"Mudblood!\"

In a fit of rage, Severus swiped his hand through the mist screen and it disappeared.

He would get his wife back...

...some how...
____________________________________________________

Annie and Lucius skidded to a stop in front of Professor Snapes living room door. They knew he would be in his bedroom, but they knocked politely before proceeding. Finally, they stopped outside his bedroom.

\"They say he\'s become immune to all outside noise,\" Lucius told her, \"What do we do?\"

\"What a Weasley does best,\" She sighed at his blank look, \"Make some noise!\"

\"Oh, right,\" Lucius nodded, \"Together on three. Ready, one... two... three -\"

\"PROFESSOR SNAPE!\"

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

At that moment, Severus had been taking down his last wards; the silencing charms. He was surprised that the door was still on its hinges with the noise coming from outside. Roughly, he pulled the door open to reveal Annie and Lucius.

\"Get out of my way!\" He hissed.

\"No!\" Annie grabbed his arm.

\"We\'ve know of a letter that might help!\" The blonde boy pressed.

\"Letter?\" Severus frowned.

\"Yeah, come on, I’ll show you.\" Severus pulled his arm away from the red head and they followed the boy through his rooms to Hermiones bedroom.

He went to her coat that was lying on the bed and delved his hand into one pocket. He smiled and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. Before Malfoy could read it, Severus had snatched it and was reading.

Dear Hermione,

I have been a bit of an idiot and I want to make it up to you so that every one that is important can be happy. Come and meet me in the Hogs Head so that we can chat by ourselves WITHOUT interruptions.

Love
Ron.

Growling, Severus stormed from the room. He had picked a most unfortunate time to go storming around the castle, as lunch was only just over and the students were milling around outside class rooms, waiting to be let in.

They all looked slightly stunned and some looked sorry for him, but Severus didn\'t give a shit. He was making his angry way across the entrance hall, when Remus came running down the stairs.

\"Severus?\" He blocked the way, \"What’s wrong? No, I didn\'t mean that... I mean... you look angry...\" Severus shoved the letter into the mans hand, \"You... you think Ron killed -\"

\"No!\" Severus yelled, \"He was just something that Malfoy used to get Hermione!\"

\"Malfoy -?\"

\"My father?\" Severus spun around; Lucius was standing there with Annie.

\"Yes! Your ass hole of a father!\" Severus roared and all the extra students scattered.

\"Severus, how do you know -?\" Remus started

\"Hermione is alive at Malfoy Manor! That’s all you need to know!\" Severus spun round again on Lucius, \"Does your father have anti-apperation wards up?!\"

\"Yes -\"

Severus growled and darted back down to the dungeons.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Remus hurried after the frantic man, sighing in frustration as the two kids followed. They followed Severus to his living room and got there just in time to see him step into the fire and shout, \"Kitchens, Malfoy Manor!\"

Taking out his wand, Remus turned to the kids.

\"I want you two to stay here and go and inform the Head Mistress about every thing you\'ve heard.\" He didn\'t hear their protests as he flooed after Severus.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

\"Well,\" Annie huffed, turning to Lucius with her hands on her hips, \"So rude!\"

Together, they nodded and stepped after their Professors, wands drawn.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Severus was shocked when Remus stepped out of the fire and into the empty kitchen.

\"What are you -?\" He was about to ask, but the fire roared again and those two blasted kids stepped out.

\"I told you to stay at school!\" Remus hissed.

\"This was my house, you know!\" Lucius looked scandalized.

\"And I wasn\'t going to let him walk into danger alone.\" Annie said, but quickly added another sentence because of the funny looks she was getting, \"Only... b-because he... he can\'t duel as well as me.\"

\"Yes well,\" Severus frowned, \"I don\'t care why you\'re here, but I want all three of you gone. Now.\"

\"No Severus.\" Remus said firmly, \"Draco\'s a bastard,\" he turned to Lucius, \"No offence!\" The boy just shrugged, \"I won\'t let you go into this alone. I love Hermione like a daughter, and I want to make sure she’s ok and happy, and the only way that will happen is if both of you get out alive.\"

\"And we love her too!\" the kids whined.

Severus sighed, \"Alright, follow me. Be alert and be silent!\"

And off they crept.
____________________________________________________

\"Don\'t you touch her!\" Ron shouted a second after Draco had slapped Hermione.

\"This is my house, and I won\'t have any one telling me what to do Weasley!\" Draco shouted back, wiping Hermiones spit from his face, \"I\'m going to have a wash. Look after her.\"

Once Draco had left, Hermione tried to talk to Ron, \"Why are you doing this Ron? Why are you letting him use you? This isn\'t you!\"

\"I\'m not the only person that’s changed around here.\" He told her.

\"And what’s that supposed to mean?\" Hermione frowned.

\"Your not anything like what you used be.\" Ron stood up and started to pace, \"At school you were all books and seriousness, but now you\'re just... well, really random from what I’ve heard. What happened?\"

\"Two things, Ron,\" Hermione smiled sadly, \"I fought in a war and I fell in love.\"

\"You... You\'re in love -\"

\"Of course she isn\'t!\" Draco growled, strolling in, \"She\'s just trying to get away Weasley; she isn\'t in love.\"

\"Alright,\" Hermione sighed, blinking back tears, \"You want to know what changed me?\" They nodded, \"I found some one who can love me for being me.\"

Draco and Ron glared at each other, then Ron spoke up pathetically, \"But we -me and ferret- love you for being you!\"

Hermione shook her head, \"You,\" She pointed at Ron, \"want to make me into your mother. You want me to have ten kids and cook; I can\'t cook! And you,\" She turned to Draco, \"want to make me into a trophy wife, to have on your arm at important dinners and parties. You want me to be there to make you look good but let you go off with which ever whore you want. Don\'t try and deny it. Severus loves me, whether I can cook or not, whether I’m having a bad hair day or not. I can be as random as I want and he won\'t care!\"

Ron was staring blankly at the floor, before her took Hermiones wand from his pocket and threw it to her.

\"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!?” Draco roared as Hermione freed her ankles.

\"You were just using me Malfoy!\" Ron yelled.

\"Of course I was,\" Draco drawled, inspecting his finger nails, \"You didn\'t honestly think that I would give her to you, did you?\"

\"Fine!\" Ron bellowed, \"I\'ll go and get the Aurors then!\"

\"If I go down,\" Draco sneered, \"You\'re coming too.\"

Ron looked like he was about to jump at Draco, but as Hermione stood up to stop him, the door burst open.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Immediately, the battle was on.

Draco realized that he and Ron were out numbered, so he summoned Goyle back.

Goyle lay on the floor and changed from Hermione, to a dog, to a heavily built man in ten seconds.

Curses started to fly again and Ron was getting a bad feeling.

Hermione, Severus and Remus were fighting hard, while Lucius and Annie tried their best to keep out of the way of the three duelling pairs.

Some how, Goyle managed to hit Hermione with a stunning hex. Getting away from his duel with Draco, Severus stunned Goyle and hurried to his wife. He freed her and helped her up just in time to see Draco cornering his son.

\"You traitor!\" The father hissed, aiming his wand at Lucius, \"Me and my aunt Bellatrix always did have something in common. Perhaps it was this curse... Crucio!\"

Lucius howled and fell to the floor in agony, as Draco laughed. Hermione ran over, pulling her arm away from Severus\' grip, and dropped to her knees next to him, reaching out to try and calm him.

Remus stunned Ron, and every one apart from Hermione leaped for Draco.

Annie beat them.

The red head was small compared to Draco, but she used her size and jumped on the blondes back, fisting her hand in his hair and breaking his concentration, therefore the curse.

Hermione pulled the twitching and groaning boy into her lap and watched Draco spin around, yelling and trying to throw Annie off. The girl herself was scream illegible words that would have probably turned out to be best not heard. Remus and Severus were trying to get a clear shot at Malfoy without hitting Annie, but it was impossible.

Finally, Draco managed to get a hold on Annie’s arm and he flipped her over his head. As gently as possible in her haste, Hermione lowered Lucius\' head to the ground and moved just in time to stop Annie’s head from slamming into the marble. The girl whimpered as her back hit the floor.

Severus took his chance and grabbed Draco by the throat. He pushed the startled blonde back against one of the walls hard.

\"You evil -\" Severus punched him square in the face, “evil -\" He hit him hard in the stomach, \"ferret!\"

\"He\'s killing me!\" Draco screamed like a girl Lily\'s age should.

\"Stop being so dramatic!\" Remus shook his head mildly.

\"How dare you -\" Severus punched him in the guts again,” do that -\" and again, \"to me -\" and again, \"and my wife -\" and once more for good measure.

Severus only stopped because he could feel Hermione tugging on his arm. He stunned the bloody blonde and turned back to the rest of the room.

Putting his arm around Hermione, Severus felt like the feeling in his heart had come back. Slowly, they walked over to where Lucius\' head was resting in Annie’s lap, as she knelt on the floor.

\"You better... go on... without me...\" Lucius groaned, his eyes drooping shut.

Annie leaned down and kissed his cheek.

\"Oh, stop being such a drama queen!\" she said, getting up.

Remus and Annie supported Lucius and they went to the fire to floo back to the school. Once they were gone, Severus turned to Hermione, just staring for what seemed like ages.

Finally, he stepped forward and pulled her tightly into his arms, breathing in her smell deeply. She put her arms around him and he couldn\'t explain how he felt. No words could describe something like this.

Several cracks startled them. Aurors apperated in, led by Mad-eye moody.

\"Great job in taking down the wards boys!\" He called before turning to them. \"Hermione, I didn\'t want to give up on the investigation. I knew you were tougher that that,\" He growled, \"I\'ll need your memories of this to get a conviction.\"

Hermione was about to speak, but Severus pulled her to his side tightly and cut in.

\"In case you haven\'t noticed, my wife has been through enough for one day. We will copy the memories and send them to you when we\'re ready.\"

With that he apperated them away.

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"

Silently, Severus put his arm around Hermione and they walked up to the castle. He couldn\'t believe that it was over. In some ways it seemed like it hadn\'t happened at all, now that Hermione was back with him.

They trudged up the steps to the castle and into the entrance hall.

\"Hermione!\" Minerva was running down the stairs. She skidded to a stop in front of them and flung her arms around Hermione, hugging her tight, \"We thought... you... but then the letter... and he finally came out...\"

Hermione pulled back, \"Who finally came out?\"

Severus tried to stop Minerva from speaking. He didn\'t know why he didn\'t want Hermione to know that he had broken down so utterly and completely. He supposed it was because she wouldn\'t believe that she meant that much to him.

Minerva shut him up though, \"Oh Hermione, it was terrible! When Severus found you... the body, he just shut himself away -\"

\"Minerva -\" Severus growled.

\"Only Dobby could get into the bedroom and he told us that Severus wouldn\'t eat or speak -\"

\"Minerva -\"

\"And that he looked like death on legs -\"

\"MINERVA!\" Severus shouted, \"That... is quite... enough, thank you.\"

\"Is this true?\" Hermione frowned turning around to face him.

\"Yes,\" Minerva started again, \"We didn\'t realize until Poppy looked over the body that you were pregnant. Me and Remus rushed down to see if he was alright after loosing his wife and baby -\"

\"Yes, well,\" Hermione moved closer to Severus, \"We\'re here now and we don\'t intend on going any where soon.\"

\"When some of the students came to me and said that they had seen Severus out in the corridors shouting about you being at Malfoy Manor, I got Moody there straight away.\" Minerva informed Hermione.

All Severus really wanted was some time on his own with his wife, but Minerva didn\'t look like she was going to let up any time soon.

\"Well, Minerva,\" He interrupted, \"You can tell every one that she safe and sound, but right now I think she just needs some rest.\"

Minerva caught on and said good bye. All the way down to the dungeons, Hermione was frowning. They finally got to his living room and he pulled the distracted woman over to the sofa, where she curled into his lap.

\"I missed you so much,\" He told her, kissing the top of her head, \"I thought... I thought I’d lost you.\"

\"Severus, how many times have I told you that you - cannot - loose - me. Firstly because my hips are too big to miss,\" Severus chuckled; she said the funniest things some times, \"and secondly because I love you too much to go any where.\"

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Severus may not have looked it, but he was so happy he thought he would burst. Even in his darkest day as a death eater, he had never known such soul consuming misery as he had the past week.

\"Was it true?\" Hermione broke the silence, \"What Minerva said.\"

Severus shrugged, \"You know how she exaggerates...\"

\"But she wasn\'t this time, was she.\" Hermione stated, sitting back and looking sadly at him. Severus closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. \"Promise me,\" Hermione took his face in her small hands, \"Promise me, that if anything happens to me, you will never do that again.\"

Severus hesitated; he didn\'t think he could promise that.

\"Please, Severus, especially if it’s after we have this baby. Promise me that you will look after yourself.\" She pleaded.

Severus sighed, \"Ok, love, I... I promise.\"

For the first time since they had been reunited, the couple kissed properly.